Latest thinking

On Being Touched and Moved (Event Preview)

Blog

26 Nov 2013

Jonathan Rowson

Tonight I am chairing an event with my friend and former PhD supervisor Professor Guy Claxton, for the second of our series of public events on Spirituality, Tools of the Mind, and the Social Brain. The event is booked out with a large waiting list, but you can watch or listen to the event live, download after the event, or follow (and give) comments at the hashtag #RSASpirituality.

A journey into a wonderful unknown

Blog

20 Nov 2013

Matthew Taylor

It is no doubt a personal failing, but I have never managed to build up much enthusiasm for theories of leadership and organisational change. True, I adhere to cultural theory as a way of thinking about sources of power and models of change, and I also am enthusiastic about the idea of anti-heroic leadership as expounded by Richard Wilson is his recent book, but these are broad orientations rather than prescriptive methodologies. It may simply be rationalising my inability to stay awake past the first chapter of most books on organisational leadership, but the complexity and reflexivity of social change seems to me better served by a compass than a map.

The great unbundling: why the rise of the niche may prove a turning point for microbusinesses

Blog

19 Nov 2013

Benedict Dellot

How do you make money in a world where things are increasingly free?

The Big Idea: a wiki guide to public services

Blog

18 Nov 2013

The Big Idea: Nalibeli is an online platform created by Blair Glencorse FRSA and Surabhi Pudasaini that helps citizens in Nepal to navigate complicated public services, and uses crowdsourcing to give people access to the information they need.  Here, Blair explains more...

To the barricades

Blog

15 Nov 2013

Matthew Taylor

In his fascinating and highly readable book ‘The Confidence Trap’ David Runciman explores the complex relationship between crisis and democracy, a subject which features heavily in Alexis de Tocqueville’s classic studies of early 19th century American democracy.

Co-Creating a Digital Makers Network

Blog

12 Nov 2013

Hilary Chittenden

Following Nat Hunters blog, ‘Finding out what Makers really want’, we have spent the last few weeks picking apart all the drawings, diagrams and questions from the our first co-design session down at Makerversity and have begun to flesh out what a digital maker network might look like with a basic prototype.

From factory floor to local authority to Northern Line, social change is like cooking - it's all in the mix

Blog

12 Nov 2013

Matthew Taylor

Last night I gave my RSA Annual Lecture. The focus was improving work and particularly employee engagement.  Given the widespread support for such engagement and the benefits it could have, not just for companies and workers but for wider society, ‘the conundrum’ I suggested ‘is this: why have our aspirations for work not turned into social norms and expectations?’

David Dimbleby's Tattoo, and finding your inner scorpion

Blog

12 Nov 2013

Jonathan Rowson

The BBC's David Dimbleby, the Presented of Question Time and the anchor for every election since 1979, has chosen to have a scorpion tattoo on his shoulder.

"Cracking good job, Gromit!"

Blog

11 Nov 2013

Kate Monkhouse

Bristol, and indeed the west region, was taken over by Gromit fever over the summer.  Eighty different 5ft high giant Gromits  were painted and situated all over the city, creating an art trail and the opportunity for people to explore Bristol whilst searching for the Gromits.